Warning To Australians Heading To Bali Over Disease

Newsroom

Posted on November 08, 2018
by Olivia Esveld

Bali is a popular tourist destination for Aussies, but holiday makers are now being warned to take extra precautions when travelling to the Indonesian country after a deadly brain infection has gone viral.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Health has revealed that they are investigating the deadly Japanese Encephaltis disease after a spike of cases have occurred in Bali and Manado.

Warning To Australians Travelling To Bali Over Deadly Japanese Encephalitis Disease

The infection is most commonly transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, bt can also be carried by birds, bats, cows and pigs.

Symptoms of the virus include flu-like signs such as headaches, fever and convulsions, however, they can take up to 15 days to become noticeable.

The virus can be deadly with one in four cases proving fatal, but can also cause blindness, weakness and movement disorders.

“So far, we in Indonesia, in this case, the Ministry of Health, ,has just recorded this disease in several sites, because we have found cases in Bali, and Manado, ranking second,” said Ministry of Health Director of Surveillance and Quarantine, Vensya Sitohang.

The ministry is now attempting to stop the infection from spreading to other regions in the country by introducing a vaccine.

The vaccinations are starting from those aged nine months to 15-years-old as children under the age of 15 are most susceptible to the deadly infection.

Aside from receiving a vaccination, tourists are being urged to use plenty of insect repellent, wear long sleeved shirts and long pants, keep windows closed and only stay in accommodation that can provide screens on windows and mosquito nets around beds.